Bed of Lies
by Baby Blue1
Summary: Mulder, Scully and, ....baby....What more could a shipper hope for?


Bed of Lies

Title: Bed of Lies

Date: 2000

Author: Baby Blue(Jadey)

Disclaimer: NOT MINE!

Comments: Don't be too hard on me, this was my first attempt at writing fanfic! I know it sucks! But I had to put it 'out there'. ;)

She stepped away from the window and held her breath as the first snowflakes of winter fell softly from the dark sky above. The air seemed colder then usual for winter, not that winter wasn't cold, but Dana Scully hadn't been the same person since he let. She no longer felt things like she used to, the passion and the feeling were gone to be replaced with a feeling of darkness and cold. Her skin didn't hold the fiery warmth it once did. Only his presence could bring back that warm glow. Her heart grew cold as the icicles of faith departed surrounded her. 

Stepping away from the foggy window, she slowly wiped a tear from her cheek. Bringing it to her lips, she tasted the salty tear and wished to have him in her life again; to have and to hold. She let her held breath go as the cries came. No longer strong enough to hold them back, she let it go. 

A faint cry comes from the other room causing her to cry even more. The floodgates had been opened now and there was no stopping them. She reached across her couch to the coffee table and grabbed angrily at a tissue. Wiping her wet face and getting up from the creamy leather lounge, she silently made her way to her bedroom, to the gift that Mulder left her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She watched him from the doorway, his dark brown hair catching the light from the lamp next to her bed. His hands cupped under his chin brought out a smile through her tears. His face wrinkled up in some dreamland world. She ran her hand ever so gently down his angelic face as her tears subsided. His hazel eyes looked so familiar to her, the way they spoke to her, he didn't have to make a sound, she knew just by looking at his eyes. An unspoken connection between mother and child, and father. 

"Hey sweetie, you ready to face the world?" she asked as she picked up her son from the bed. He had woken the night before and refused to sleep unless she held him. She imagined he was like his father that way; he didn't sleep well unless she was close to him. He never told her that, he didn't need to. She knew. 

His response was another cry and a look she could only register as the Panicked face. She remembered when Mulder had made that face for her, in the Federal Building in Dallas, right before it was blown sky high. But now as she studied her son, his features revealing his paternity, she grew uneasy at how someone so little could make such a scared face.   
  
"Hey, Nathan honey, what's wrong?" Again all Nathan did was cry. She sensed the floodgates opening again as a single tear fell from her face and silently caressed her sons' cheek. Scooping him into her arms, she brought him face to face, to look into his eyes. She wasn't prepared for what happened next. 

A loud heart-breaking scream was all she could manage as her child, her little miracle; her gift from Mulder went limp in her arms. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart leaped into her mouth. " No, God Damn it, NATHAN!!!" 

She shook her child gently, "Nathan, NATHAN". Then the light, the blinding white light and the sound. The gentle whistle of the sea echoed in her ears and she felt her emotions playing up again. No that's no good she thought. I need to remember where I am; I need to remember where Nathan is.

She surveyed her surroundings, a room. Just a room. No windows, no doors, no clue. Thoughts of Nathan and of Mulder ran through her mind. Where the hell am I and where is my baby? 

Hours had passed, maybe days, before she left her frantic state and backed up against the wall. Her legs gave out under her and she fell silently to the floor. She pulled her legs up into her chest and rested her tired head on her knees, and she let sleep come. 

She woke only minutes later, *she remembered*. Nathan, I was holding Nathan. He stopped breathing. Oh God my baby. The light, coming from the doorway. NO the men, they're taking Nathan, No give him back. You took Mulder now Nathan. NO. 

Her screams echoed through the dark, engulfing room. " Damn you bastards, give him back, both of them!" She threw her fragile body, deprived of sleep and food, at the walls. Pounding with all the strength she could find. " What do you bastards want?" Through her angry shouts the sobs of a broken, defeated heart crept into the air. 

She suddenly became aware of something. Someone was here, in the room with her, but where. Her eyes scoped the room. She could feel him. Then there he was, huddled in the corner, like a newborn kitten. She tried to speak. In was him. " Mulder". 

Scully wasn't sure how many times a persons heart could break, how many times the tiny pieces of a broken heart, could fall like minute slivers of broken glass upon the cold, unyielding ground.   
Now as she saw him she knew that her heart was breaking and she could almost hear the crash as the pieces hit the floor. 

"Mulder?"   
"No don't touch me, stay away from me!" 

She could see, only just, in the dark room. She could make out the sleek outline of his huddled form in the far corner, approaching slowly, her eyes adjusted and the marked evidence of his abuse was obvious. His once lean, athletic body was now thin and frail, a ghostly whisper of the once strong man who had offered her protection not so long ago. Her eyes set upon his face. The hollows of the cheek matching in colour to the rings around his eyes. 

Her heart, or the pieces left of it, ached for him. This wasn't how she remembered him. She would close her eyes and he would be there. She could feel him, see him, and taste him. He would be sitting behind his desk, making faces at her while she tried to get expense reports out of the way, or he'd be at her front door at all hours of the morning, looking tired, maybe a little scared. The Mulder she remembered was strong, unbeatable, unbreakable. Here he was, huddled in the corner, trembling in front of her like a lost child. All that remained of that once unshakable pillar, now a quivering mass before her. 

She reached out her hand to his face and retracted as his body jerked at the touch of human hands. His eyes locked onto hers and he could see the shiny liquid flowing from them. I know you, he thought as flashes of his past pulsed through his brain sending hot searing pain down his spine. 

"Mulder, it's me". 

I know your voice, so familiar, so... safe. He though trying to push passed the pain to recover his memory. She spoke to him again. 

"Mulder, it's me, Scully". 

Scully? That sounds...I know that sound. It feels like...home. Scully? Through his struggle to remember and the pain of trying, he burned his gaze into her crystal blue eyes. Searching, finding, revealing...the truth. 

It hit him like a ten ton truck, Every cell, every memory of his life flooded back as the tears escaped his own eyes, burning trails down his pale cheeks. I remember. You. 

"Scully". 

"Mulder". She intended it to come out as a strong, reassuring message to him, instead it left her mouth as nothing more then a whisper. Rasing her hand, she traced the lines left by the tears on his face. Wanting nothing more then to hold him against her, hold him until all the torment went away.   
" Oh God, Scully", he placed his hand on her face to cup her cheek; feeling the warm, smooth skin he only knew as hers. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and lingered there, intertwining his fingers in her soft hair. She moved her arms and wrapped them around his shoulders as he pulled her in her their first embrace in a year. The warmth of her body against his cold, neglected skin sent his senses into over time. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold this woman in his arms. 

"Scully, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry". He whispered against her fiery red hair as sobs echoed through his body and transferred to hers. " Mulder it's not your fault, you have nothing to be sorry about, do you hear me".   
" But I left you Scully, I didn't have to go but I did, I wanted to and I should have stayed with you, I know that now. I..." he went on to continue but Scully silenced him with a finger to his mouth. She ran her thumb over his bottom lip and cupped his cheek with her hand, " Mulder you never really left me", she said as she took his hand in hers and placed it on her chest, over her heart. " You were right here the whole time, you all have and always will, be right here". 

Scully wasn't sure when they'd moved to be in each others arms on the floor or when they'd fallen asleep, as she woke up to the sound of a baby crying. The soft sweet voice of a child calling for someone to curb their longing to be touched, to be held. She sat up and held her breath, " Nathan". How the hell could she forget? She turned to Mulder to find him still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the child crying. 

Her hearing picked up the sound of muffled voices coming from the same area as the child. Someone was talking to the child, their child. Her mind wondered she imagined tests and probes and more tests. She imagined her son being subjected to unspeakable things much like the things she used to investigate on The X-Files. Much like the things they had done to Mulder. She had lost her breath earlier as Mulder broke down in her arms. The pain and torment of the past 12 months relayed through his words, through his body, to her soul. That moment, now, forever burned in her memory, in her heart. 

Shaking her head and drying her eyes, she cursed herself for letting her mind run wild. Thinking like that wasn't going to help her find Nathan. She would have to wake Mulder and tell him. About Nathan and what happened to him, although she wasn't too sure herself. She didn't have the heart to wake him, after the way he broke down earlier she knew he needed to rest. 

All train of thought was lost to her as the familiar aroma filled the room. The smoke drifted across the room and the fowl stench burned her nose and stung her eyes. 

She didn't have to turn around to know where the smoke was coming from, she knew deep down that he would turn up sooner or later, he always did. 

He had always known that giving Fox Mulder a partner would work out for the best. He had had to fight with the higher-ups to get them to agree and in the end he had won out. Dana Scully had been the perfect choice. He had been keeping a close eye on her since her days at the Academy. She was exactly what his son needed. She was his complete opposite and would compliment his life. Even he couldn't envision the impact Dana would have on the x-files. She pushed Fox, drove him, and gave him what he so desperately needed from his life. And she also gave the project it's greatest prize yet, her son. 

Abducting Fox hadn't been his idea, he knew the tides where changing in the x-files corner of the world. Fox had become more content on staying put, sort of anyway. He knew his relationship with Dana was strong and he almost believed Fox would marry her one-day, but this new revelation hadn't been a surprise to him. He had planned this new event, but he had to admit, he was a little shocked at how well it had worked. Nathan was just what the project needed to continue with its plans for the future; the future Fox and Dana had tried so hard to fight. 

But now with everything he had done, with everything he had seen, he couldn't bring himself to commit the final act. The final piece of the puzzle. He had caused his son so much pain and grief over the years, this time he would give something back. 

He watched them from the corner of the room, a perfect fit as he had always imagined they would be. Even a blind man could see that they fitted together like the pieces to a puzzle. He approached them and saw the hate in their eyes. If only they could forgive him for his past. Forgive him for his sins. 

" Dana, Fox, I have something for both of you, if you'll come with me". He extended his arm to show them the doorway to the back of the room, that wasn't there before. The brilliant white light shining through like a saving grace. 

" You must be joking right, you sorry SOB. I'm not going any where with you and neither is Scully, you leave her alone." Mulder moved to hold Scully back but his efforts where in vain. " Where the hell is Nathan, where is my son"? 

Mulder wasn't sure he had heard right, where is my son? Had Scully found another Emily? NO, she'd been through so much, damn that pig to hell. " Scully what are you talking about?" 

CGB Spender suddenly realised Fox had no idea he was a father and a father of Dana's child at that. " Please don't tell me Dana, Fox doesn't know he's a father?" 

" Scully what is he talking about, I have a child?"   
  
She turned to face him tears welling in her eyes, she didn't want to tell him this way. "No Mulder, we have a child, a son". 

"What?" 

"Oh Mulder, I'm so sorry you had to find out like this."

Mulder's hands went to her face immediately, almost instinctively, his hands cupping her small features. His Thumbs rubbing delicately over her cheek bones. Her tears drawing tender lines down his strong wrists.

"Scully, it's ok, stop crying, Look at me. We have a child?"

"Yes Mulder we have a child, a son. I found out I was pregnant after…"

"But how, I thought you couldn't have children?"

"We were wrong Mulder, I can, and I did."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you Scully. I'm so sorry" and with that he pulled her into his embrace. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders with a newly found strength. A million thoughts cascading through his psyche. WOW, I'm a Dad. A little me. My own little Scully. For the first time in his life he saw the future and he wasn't scared, he was happy even.

Scully wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head over his heart. Hearing his heart beat peacefully in his chest as he gently played with her hair. For the first time in her life she wasn't scared. Even here, wherever that was, with the reason for so much of her heartache standing not three feet away. Her Soul knew that it was over; it was the end. The end of all their problems, like a red-hot sunset takes with it the endeavours of the day and the following sunrise promising a bright new day. She knew it was over.

Mulder was the one to break their strong hold on each other. The smell of smoke brought him back to reality and he lifted his head to find the smoking man still standing in the doorway, an almost sorry look on his face. He moved away from Scully, her hand in his, and advanced towards their nemesis.

"Where is our child, where is my son?" 

To Mulder it was amazing that a person could bring such happiness into ones life. How the smallest of things could take his heart, dust it off and shine it up to shimmer like a freshly cut diamond. How the simple closeness of another human could take his own miserable, decrepit life and give it a new found meaning. He had vowed never to let another living soul take control over his emotions like that again. That was until his fateful meeting with a new partner. 

" Agent Mulder, hi, I'm Dana Scully. I've been assigned to work with you."

" Isn't nice to suddenly be so highly regarded. So whom did you tick off to get stuck with this detail, Scully?"

" Actually, I'm looking forward to working with you; I've heard a lot about you."

" Oh really. I was under the impression, that you were sent to spy on me."

And the rest, as they say is history. Scully had managed to work her way into his heart not too long after their meeting. She warmed the deep crevices of his mind and trusted the pure misguided beliefs of his heart. No other man, woman or child alive on this earth knew him like she did. He thought of her as his one in five billion and she was. His miracle saviour, in red and white. He didn't believe that miracle's came in twos, not until he saw the second.

His son. Small perfect, tiny. So small. First thing he saw was Scully's nose, lucky kid, he wasn't cursed with the Mulder nose. His eyes so familiar. Scully's, not in colour but in their character. His lips small, round, like the perfect roses bud lips of his mothers. Hi s whole body sang with a vibe he could only describe as perfection.His son, his child, their child. Then he saw the worst thing, Nathan looked like his mother had once.

His bright hazel eyes glistened in the bright light of the overhead fluorescents. His tiny body strapped to the cold, steel medical bay. Mulder saw the multicoloured tubes attacked to his miniature rib cage and watched as it rose and fell with each baby small breath he took.

He couldn't breathe, a vice gripped tightly at his lungs, allowing no air to pass through them. Scully let out a muffled scream as she buried her head into Mulders neck, her fingernails drawing blood as they clenched around Mulder's hand. His son was there before him tied down like a lab rat. His small body connected to an array of machines, beeping with every twist and turn of the infants' movements.

" I told you Fox, I want to right a wrong. Fix something that was broken years ago, by my own hand."

"I can't give you back your Mother, or Father or, your Sister."

He paused to watch Mulders face, his eyes clouded with confusion over played by anger, bore back at him with the ferocity of heaven's gates.

" Take him. I'm giving you the chance to leave with your family, together."

Mulder's body was so weak and neglected and his mind was tired. Too much to deal with. Scully, she's here. I have a son. We have a son. Scully can't have children. What are they doing to him? Nathan. CGB Spender. 

Black was the last thing Mulder saw as his deteriorating body fell to the floor and the sweet, familiar sound of his name was the last thing he heard.

His subconscious wake before this conscious had time to recover. He felt warm, safe and warm. His head was pounding. The sound of running horses was all he could hear. Pounding away at his eardrums. Hi s body was sore. Every bone, every muscle ached and cried out to be healed. But he was warm and safe, he was sure of it. His chest was warm, really warm and a comfortable weight was resting on it. I like this feeling, he thought as his conscious caught up to him. He blinked back, as the white lights of a hospital room assaulted his eyes. Where the hell am I? 

He woke to find he was alone or so he thought. The source of the warmth on his chest was not what he had thought a hot water bottle but something far greater. A person, their head rested lightly across his chest, and a hand placed softly on his skin. Mulder had never felt as warm and complete as he did at that very moment. He lifted the little hand to his own and placed tiny kisses upon it's palm. He stroked away at the thick brown hair and wondered why Scully's God had blessed him with such as gift. 

Scully turned away from the seventh floor window and lay her eyes upon the single most beautiful thing she had even seen in her life. There he was, alive and well. Mulder, her Mulder, and their son. She watched as Mulder slowly woke from his unconscious state and saw him lock onto Nathan. She was going to go to Mulder, but watched with a melting heart as Mulder looked down at their son and saw a weight lift from his shoulders.He reached for his little hand, and carefully brought it to his lips and kissed Nathan on the inside of his palm. He softly stroked at the thick brown hair atop his head. Nathan had cried and cried, only when he was near Mulder had he been quiet. It amazed her that he knew who his daddy was. She placed him down on Mulder's chest and watched as they both slept peacefully through the night, believing that miracles do happen.

Mulder caught sight of Scully as she moved away from the window towards him. Her body ringed with the golden rays of the sun passing through the window. An angel.

"Hey there Scully, guess what, I think I saw an alien."

"Was it green or grey. I hear the green ones have a thing for tall, dark, handsome FBI agents."

"Nay, only little redheads have things for tall, dark, handsome, smart, brilliant FBI agents."

**Three Months Later.... Residence of Mulder/Scully**

Scully fussed around with the dishes as she heard Mulder in the other room with Nathan. She couldn't help breaking a smile as she heard Mulder fussing over his young son like any proud father would, when no one was looking. Her smiles soon turned into small giggles as she stopped to listen to Mulder explain to Nathan about how they meet.

"You see Nathan, once upon a time there was a lonely, yet brilliant man who lived alone in the dark, cabbalistic dungeon of the evil F.B.I. building. What' s that I hear you say. Why was he a lonely individual? Well, you see, he had no one to look after him, no one to share his ingenious, if not, off the wall theories with, but most of all, no one to save his sorry ass. Then one day an exquisite woman, no, angel, with fiery red hair walked into the dungeon. The man was sure she was sent to spy on him by the sinister evil smoking demon. So he threw everything he had that her to scare her. But you see, she wasn't like all the other girls the man knew, she was different, unique. So he decided to trust her and there soon became friends..."

Having moved from the dishes, Scully leaned against the doorframe and watched her son and her, and her? She thought about that. He wasn't her husband, he could be, and he should be. Since Mulder had returned they hadn't really talked about it. She could say he was her lover, but he was more than that, so much more. After being together for over 8 years now, they were closer them most married couples, so what was he? She knew he was Mulder, her Mulder. That thought sent a smile to her lips and a laugh escaped her mouth.

"No fair Scully, how long have you been there for?" Mulder said as Scully's soft laugh alerted him to her presence.

"Don't let me stop you, I want to hear the rest of the story. I want to know how it ends?"

"Who says the story ends Scully?"

**2 hours later that night...**

"Come on Scully, its 11:30pm, are you coming to bed yet?"

"The dishes won't wash themselves Mulder. I never knew that only 2 people could make such a mess",

"~Come On~ Scully, we'll do them in the morning, please?"

Scully lifted her head and looked over at Mulder now lying across the dining table. His puppy dog face was winning her over and she hated him for that. Those big brown eyes just begging for her to *take him home with her*, and that lip, that pouty lip, no woman in he right mind could resist that. She wanted to take it between to teeth and bite down really hard on it. That would make him shut up, for all of about 2 mins. 

"God Mulder you can be such a kid sometimes," and she threw him her best killer smile; she knew that smile would have him on his knees the minute it began to disperse, cheekily across her face.

"Just give me a min to finish up here, ok?"

Mulder moved from the table, sending everything on it flying across the room as he lunged towards a surprised Scully. He caught her in his arms and pulled her close to him.

"Damn it Mulder, you're making a mess, you're worse then Nathan sometimes." He wasn't listening; he was too concerned with layering feather light kisses along her neck and behind her ear.A shiver went down her spine and reached into the corners of her deepest wraith. Mulder always knew where and how to touch her to send her over the edge.

Before she could comprehend what was happening, Mulder had lifted her into his arms and was carrying her away to her new found haven, their bedroom. He placed her down gently on the bed and held her gaze, her icy blue eyes carrying on a whole conversation with his own deep hazel eyes. Sometimes he wasn't even sure if his brain could keep up with the words and understanding she relayed to him through her eyes. They were like deep pools of clear blue water; he imagined he was drowning in them every time she looked at him. Forever trapped under the icy spell that way Dana Scully.

"Mulder?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you want my to come to bed so badly?" That evil, cheeky grin emerged from the corners of her mouth as she ran a pale porcelain finger down his Adam's apple. 

"Don't play coy with me, my dear Scully, you know damn well why". 

In one swift move, Mulder had Scully pressed up against the bed head, his large build dwarfing hers as he placed his tanned hands on her hips. The sweet peppermint chocolate of desert still lingered on her lips and he was in Elysian Fields. He brought his hands to her face and cradled her cheeks, while he worked his way down her neck, marking a small trail of kisses down to her shoulder. She loved to be kissed on her shoulder, something Mulder had made sure he remember from the way a light moan emerged from her mouth. I could live like this forever he though as he moved to remove Scully's green t-shirt.

"Does that kid have perfect timing or what?" Scully said as Nathan's rumbling cries proceeded from the other side of the bedroom. Mulder, still having his way with her shoulder, let out a low moan as Scully pushed him away from her and wiggled to the end of the bed.

"Can't we just let him go, he'll fall back to sleep, give him a minute."

"No Mulder, he's hungry, I'm going to feed him." She turned her head to the right and caught Mulder's disappointed look, "Geez Mulder, you're son is screaming because he's hungry and all you can think about is sex?"

"Don't say it like that Scully, it's just that where isn't enough of you to share between two Mulders."

"You'll get your turn Mulder." she ducked her head and turned on her best voluptuous voice, "I promise."

Scully talked out into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle that was being kept heated in the bottle thermos. For the second time that evening she heard Mulder talking to Nathan and she believe that these moments must be the ones that you cherish as a parent forever

"Here, Scully I'll feed him."

She passed him the bottle and crawled up into the bed next to him. Nathan was lying on Mulder's bare chest, much like he had in the hospital when she had brought Mulder home. It astonished her at how much of a natural Mulder was with Nathan. Second nature. He took on the role of parenthood like he was a pro.

With Nathan in his left arm and Scully snuggled up on his right arm, Mulder felt a great contentment settle over him. Feeding went by quickly and Mulder found great delight in the burping process that followed. He rubbed even so carefully, circles on Nathan's back to help with the process. He nearly choked when Nathan burped and Mulder was sure that one was louder than one of his. He never quiet knew when to stop burping Nathan, he just figured that when he fell asleep, slumped over his hand, then it was time to stop. He tried to move to put Nathan back to bed, but found that Scully had fallen asleep on his arm. She looked so peaceful, she'd had a busy day, and he didn't want to wake her. He raised Nathan up on to his chest and watched both of his miracles sleep and soon found he was drifting off too.

"Hey Mulder, sorry to doze off on you like that last night, I was more tired then I though."

"That's ok."

"What time is it?"

"8:47am."

"Hmm, you ready for this big meeting with Skinner today?"

"I guess so Scully, I'm not worried if that's what you mean. Skinner has been a good friend to us and he was there for you when I couldn't be. I owe that man my life."

"Yeah I know, I just guess I'm a little apprehensive about going back there. We haven't been in that building together since.... since you left. I think it'll be a little weird."

"Yeah I know Scully, but hey, now we can walk down the corridors and hold hands and make lovely dovey faces to each other, cos it don't matter any more."

"I swear Mulder if you do any of the things you just mentioned, you will be in so much trouble."

" Hmm, Scully, that sounds interesting."

**Margaret Scully residence10:12am**

"Thanks for watching Nathan for us mom, the meeting shouldn't go passed 1pm, I hope."

"It's ok Dana, take your time, Nathan and I have lots of things planned for the afternoon."

Mrs Scully watched as Dana and Fox drove off down the road headed towards the city centre. Deep down she had always know that Mulder and her daughter would end up together. It was painfully obvious when Dana got sick with her cancer, Mulder would have given his life if it meant finding the cure. Mrs Scully also believed he'd give up the 'truth' if it meant saving Dana. 

She cried tears of pure joy when Dana had come to her and told her that she was pregnant. She knew without asking that Fox was the father, she could see it in her daughters' eyes. She had a hard time dealing with it on a religious level. A man and a woman have to be married before they go and start a family, but she held a special place in her heart for the two of them. In some ways they were married, or at least they acted like a married couple.

Mulder and Scully walked the halls of the F.B.I. building like they never left. It had only been three months since they both left the F.B.I., but the same looks and stares still followed them as they strode down the corridor to AD Skinners office. Once they left, there secret no longer remained a secret. Mulder often wonder about how much money certain individuals had made when their relationship went public. He was almost certain Skinner had made some money on himself and Scully.

The looks there were getting made him feel like grabbing Scullys hand and skipping off with her like love struck teenagers madly in love, but he knew that Scully had insecurities about being openly affectionate with each other. The threat of Nathan being taken again was still great and risking any level normality would have the three of them in danger again.

They're reached Skinners office and were greeted by his blonde assistant, Kimberley. She sat predictively behind her desk and hid a small smile as she watched the two former agents walk in.

"Agents, oh sorry, um, Fox, Dana, the Assistant Director will be with you shortly."

"Thank you Kimberley, it's nice to see you again," Scully said as she and Mulder sat down. She remember all the times the two of them had sat right tin their current positions, waiting anxiously for Skinner to that them into their office and ask for an explanation for their current expense report or findings. Sometimes now she missed that. All she ever wanted was in her hands but she missed the chase, the investigations. She was always sure the day she admitted that was the day she finally went crazy. If it weren't Mulder who had sent her crazy, it would have been the work.

"Mulder, Scully, come in" AD Skinner said as he stood in the doorway. Neither of the former agents heard him the first time, both caught up in their daydreams of the past.

"Thank you Sir, I don't want to come across as rude, but why were we called to attended this meeting. I mean if you wanted to see us, you know you're always welcome to swing by the house" Mulder said he took up his seat on the left and Scully the one on the right, just like old times he thought.

"Yes Mulder thank you, I know, but this is, well this is official business." He studied possibly the two best agents the F.B.I. ever had to their name. For the first time, in the eight years he'd known them, they looked happy. He was happy for them; he'd watched the tragedy of their time together play out in front of him like a scene from Romeo and Juliet. 

Mulder turned to Scully and saw the same questions playing in her eyes.

"Official business Sir?"

"Yes Scully, it seems the F.B.I. wants the X-Files reopened and I thought that the two of you might like to take up the offer."

"Sir are you ask that Scully and I return to the F.B.I.?"

"Yes Mulder, you are the only ones who can work on this. I know that in light of recent events you might be unwilling to take up the offer, but..." Mulder cut him off now; pissed off that Skinner would be so off handish about the request. He'd become a great friend over the months, Mulder owed him everything for helping Scully out while he was gone. 

"But what Sir, do honestly expect us to come back here after everything that has happened. They nearly killed me and they nearly killed my son."

It was then that Scully spotted it. crumpled up and deformed on the desk. Pressed firmly into the solid pine, leaving the tell tale scorch marks. She elbowed Mulder and gestured for him to look at it with a nod of her head. The Morley cigarette butt set vicariously on the desk in front of Skinners nameplate. The smell of the smoked cigarette rose up and hung in the air surrounding them. One look at Skinner told both of them exactly who wanted them back on the X-Files, and why. Mulder knew this conversation was under surveillance and he also knew Skinner wouldn't do this to them. Raising from his chair and mentioning for Scully to do the same and extended his hand, "Thank You for the offer Sir, Scully and I will go home and talk it over. Working on the X-Files again would be good. I'll get back to you next week."

Not caring about their current company, Mulder reached for Scully's hand and held it as they walked out of the office. "It was good to see you again Sir"; Scully said turning back, as appreciative smile playing on her lips.

They drove in silence on the way back to Scully's moms. Working on the X-Files had nearly killed both of them and Nathan, Mulder sure wasn't going to go running back now when he was as close as ever to revealing these bastards for who they were. After returning, he left the X-Files, they both did. They were a family now and had a child to think about. His future was balancing on their decision to stay or leave. Returning now would most certainly put him in danger. He knew Scully felt the same way, but it was the smoking man that wanted them back, and they both knew why. 

Since Mulder's departure from the F.B.I. he took up residence with his only friends, besides Scully, The Lone Gunmen. He worked mainly with their help and facilities, and now with everything they knew, he was damn close to exposing the consortium and the project. He also knew and this was something he had decided to keep from Scully, that Nathan was the one thing the consortium needed. The project for colonisation depended on him.

Nathan was the calumniation of two people with different levels of immunity to the coming apocalypse. Scully's chip played a greater roll them just protecting her from cancer, it protected her body against all human diseases. Mulder wasn't sure if Scully knew that, he could only guess. He himself wasn't even sure if that was correct, second-hand information from a semi reliable source. She also carried the vaccination for the alien disease. He remembered her ice blue body as he injected her with the life saving serum.

He, also had a level of immunity to the alien disease, that's why they abducted Nathan in the first place. Mulder had found out through various sources that from the short amount of test done on Nathan during their disappearance, that Nathan was the first human with a natural immunity to the virus. 
    
    Mulder hated himself for the decision he was making. It ripped at his heart and reminded him of whom he was really betraying. Scully. Nathan. Himself.
    
     
    
    Nathan's life depended on this, possible the world. Mulder didn't know. What he did know was that he had just sold his soul to the devil. A small price to pay to save his son's life. But what about Scully?
    
     
    
    He didn't want to do this to her, not now, not after everything that
    
    Happened it the past year, not now. His heart broke a little more as he remembered vividly, the image of Scully asleep on the couch, Nathan resting in her arms, also asleep.
    
     
    
    He had to do it for them. He threw his head back and sighed, what's done is done. He brought his head back down and eyed the man stilling sitting across from him in the small cafe. The Morley cigarette dangly from his mouth.
    
     
    
    "Mulder, you know this is for the best"
    
     
    
    "How do I know I can trust you, after everything you've done to me, to Scully?"
    
     
    
    "Mulder you can be as sure of me now as you have ever been of Scully, I only want what you want; I want to see the bastards burn in hell for what they have done, damn their souls to hell."
    
     
    
    Mulder just stared at him; he wanted to trust him, Scully's and Nathan's safety were at stake, but trusting a rat wasn't something Mulder could do too easily.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scully watched Nathan as he crawled around on the polished floorboards, and kept looking at her watch, wishing Mulder would come home soon. He had walked out of the house with nothing so much as a good bye last night and Scully worried. He called early that morning and told her to go now without him this morning, he had something's to fix up at the FBI, so he'd catch up with her later.

She hated it when he did that to her. Not telling her where he was, what he was doing, why he was doing it. She knew he thought he was protecting her, but in reality he was hurting her more than any one else could. She knew he trusted her, but being ditched, being left out made her feel like another pawn on the chessboard. Like she was Mulder's to do with as he pleased. 

She picked up Nathan and headed out the door, locking it behind her. She buckled him into the child seat and started up the car, pulled out and headed for the Cemetery.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dana Scully walked towards the gravesite with Nathan tucked securely in her protective arms. He smiled brightly as his mom made her visit to her loved ones. Reaching the two tombstones, Scully closed her eyes and remembered her lost family members. She looked down and placed a single red rose on each grave and said a silent pray for her father and her sister.

Taking Nathan by the hand, she looked down at her young son and smiled at his inquisitive eyes.

"Nathan honey, I want you to say hello to your Aunt Melissa and your Grand Dad".

Nathan was more content on sucking on Scully's hair, then to knew what was going on. He planned happily with the strands of red hair, which hung, around his small fingers.

"Now I wonder where Daddy is?"

Nathan just replied by taking more of her hair in his hands and gooed contently.Scully wonder about Mulder and where he was and why he hadn't told her anything. She let her mind wonder, and started to worry as heart skipped a beat as she remembered the day before he was taken. That night was one of the most relaxing and yet stressful nights of her life.

Before she could let her mind wonder on its current path, movement from the corner of her eye caused her to turn her head and look.

She had to do a double take as the site before her was hard to believe. A woman, dressed in black, with the look of death playing across her face, stood before her. The face of an enemy she believed was dead. Who by all accounts should be in a place like this, not alive and breathing but dead, six foot under.

"I thought you were dead?" Scully said as she pulled Nathan tight against her chest.

"You can't get rid of me that easily Dana".

Diana Fowley took small cautious steps towards Scully and her small son. Her eyes locked on to Scully's as she reached inside her jacket and pulled a gun, raised it at a surprised Scully and placed her hand on the trigger.

"I'm sorry Dana, but this is something I have to do". 


End file.
